The Assembly is a body comprising the Chairperson and 99 citizens, randomly selected to be broadly representative of the Irish electorate, established to consider some of the most important issues facing Ireland’s future.
Submissions are invited on the first topic the Assembly will consider – the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution.
As the leading community development organisation in the country whose members work with the most disadvantaged and socially excluded communities in Ireland, where women play a crucial role in addressing the concerns of their communities,Community Work Ireland made a submission to the Citizen’s Assembly urging the members to recommend a referendum to repeal the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution, without replacement or amendment.

The submission further called for:

The removal of all criminal sanctions on women seeking and accessing abortion services in Ireland

The removal of criminal sanctions on provision and performance of abortion in the Republic of Ireland

The regulation of abortion services and medical professionals performing abortions through customary medical disciplinary procedures and general criminal law

The enactment of legislation providing for access to abortion on a woman’s request.